Grapple



Dec. 8, 1953 T. LAURO GRAPPLE Filed June 25, 1951 IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEY Patented Dec. 8,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GRAPPLE Timotheo Lauro, San Francisco,Calif.

Application June 25, 1951, Serial No. 233,299

The present invention relates to improvements in life saving devices andits principal object is to provide a device of the character describedthat may be used for the recovery of a human body from the bottom of awell, mine shaft or other cavity. I More particularly it is proposed toprovide an open frame structure adapted for lowering into the well andfor encircling the body, the lower end of the frame structure beingprovided with catches adapted to yield on the downward movement over thebody and operative to automatically move into body-gripping positionafter they have passed the body.

It is further proposed to provide guide means for the device by means ofwhich the latter may be guided toward the body as it is being loweredfor establishing supporting engagement with the body.

It is further proposed to provide flexible means such as a cable or arope for lowering and raising the device.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a protecting disc inthe upper portion of the frame structure to protect the head or upperportion of the body upon which the device has been lowered.

It. is additionally contemplated to provide an alarm device within thestructure operable by the protective disc to indicate to the rescuersthat the device has reached the proper position with respect to the bodyto be recovered.

And finally, it is proposed to provide a device of the'charatcerdescribed that is light in weight, easy to operate, economic inconstruction and that may be readily engaged over the body withoutcausing any physical injury to the latter.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear as thespecification proceeds, and the novel features of my invention will befully defined in the claims attached hereto.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, in which Figure 1 shows a side view of my life saving device,with certain portions broken away,

Figure 2, a top plan view of the same, as seen from line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3, a horizontal section taken along line 3-3 of Figure 1, and

Figure 4, a horizontal section taken along line 44 of Figure 1.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, I wish tohave it understood that various changes and modifications may be madewithin the scope of the claims attached hereto 2 Claims. (Cl. 294-457) 2without departing from thespirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, my life saving device comprises inits principal features four vertical legs I arranged incircumferentially spaced relation and arranged to form a crown 2 at theupper end, catches or gripping fingers 3 arranged at the lower ends ofthe legs, and a belt 4 encircling the legs intermediate their height andadapted to hold the legs at approximately uniform spacing to oneanother.

The legs I are made in the form of thin, elastic metal straps, and inthe preferred form I make two opposing legs of a single strap which issuitably bent intermediate its length, the two bent portions of the twostraps making up the crown indicated at 2.

The two central portions of the two straps are suitably secured upon oneanother by means of a socket 5 and a nut 6, the nut being also used tosecure in place a small bracket I adapted to receive the lower end of acable or rope 8. The socket 5 has a sleeve 9 threaded thereinto, and thesleeve is'adapted to receive the lower end of a rigid guide tube I0which may be held in place by a pin I I and a wing nut I2. Each of thefour vertical legs I has a catch or finger 3 pivoted to the lower endthereof as at I3, each of the fingers being swingable between a positionadjacent its leg and in inwardly pointed position, the downward swing toan inwardly pointed position being limited by a stop I4 furnished by thelower end of the leg. The inner end of each finger is preferablyserrated as at I5 to insure a better gripping action.

As the fingers are crowded into vertical position When the lower ends ofthe legs pass the body, they impinge upon Springs I6 which tend toinitiate downward movement of the fingers or catches after the body hasbeen passed.

The belt 4 is also made in the form of a thin, elastic, metallic strapwhich forms a circle surrounding the four legs and which is permanentlysecured upon the legs except for one loose end I? which may beadjustably secured upon the other end by means of a series of slots I8,any one of which may be engaged over the pin I9.

Due to the elasticity of the material the frame formed by the four legsmay thus be expanded or contracted by the proper positioning andadjustment of the belt.

A pair of reinforcing straps 20 may be provided intermediate the top ofthe device and the belt to connect adjacent legs without interferingwith the belt adjustment.

A light-weight disc 2| is movably supported in the crown of the frame bysuspension members 22, and above the disc I provide a, bell 23 which maybe of conventional construction, and the details of which are not shownin the drawing. It may sufiloe to state that the bell is operated by aspring in the manner of an alarm clock and that the hammer of the bellis normally locked by a member carrying a button 24 operable by the disc3| for releasing the lock and for cause.- ing the bell to ring.

The operation of the device will be readily understood by the foregoingdescription.

When it becomes necessary to rescue a body from the bottom of a well orthe like, the frame structure which may be about four or six feet inheight, is lowered into the well by the rescuers and is guided by meansof the tube! 0 toward the body, preferably in such a, manner that theframe telescopes over the latter. While the fingers 3 a the ow nds o thless ass the h es the are crowded inwardly, against the springs fte h he as ed the body heir retu mov ment toward herizehta hes tieh is iitiates by th sp in a d con u d by t eir own wei ht unt l the reach theimi o thei mov ment. hi h time the ex end nwa y below the bo y er h ma npor ion of he bod Wh n the ,head or part of t body ea s the isc 21 i willi t t e lette again t th butto 24 and ill eeuse the alarm to ri so asto ad.- yise the res uers that the ame is aged Over e bod The letter isn w fi m y h d in th am o case and may h recover d y upward Phil th a leo r e v t s ould b n ted that du to the lightn ss of the structure, theflexibility of the legs and the bel a d the rather ions t etch f he l beow the be t, the wi l ea ily adjust it.-

Self to the outlin of th h ly no matter in what pos tion th atter i fond. Wh n the body in u ri ht or s m -up ht position, the frame or cagewill naturally telescope over the body W thout much change in shape. Butwhen the. bo y is n a y o her position, slumped or pros,- tr ate, thelegs will readily find the contour and adjust themselves to it. The legsand even the belt may expand and contract to form an oval outline or thelegs may spread, with one pair on one side of the body and the otherpair on the other side while exerting gentle pressure from all around.The fingers age in, while normally occupying the semiangu-lar positionshown Figure 1, may adjust themselves, individually, to almosthorizontal position by tensioning the lower ends of the legs outwardly,and each finger may thus find, for itself, the best supporting positionfor its particular location with respect to the body. 1

I claim:

1. A life saving device for recovering a body from a well or the like,comprising an open frame structure adapted for lowering upon the bodyand including a plurality of straight legs arranged in circumferentiallyspaced relation and connected at their upper ends to form asubstantially rigid crown, a belt encircling the legs intermediate theirheight for holding the legs in assembled relation, and gripping fingershinged to the lower ends of the legs with freedom of swinging movementbetween positions adjacent the legs and inwardly pointed positions, thelegs being unconnected below the belt and flexible ier hcie ehcieht yiedin n response. to re ste e .ofi reei h the eeh eu of the. bodystructure adapted for lowering upon the body and .ihe iieiihs a plu alio st ai ht le s arran ed in eii mterenti ii seeeeti r lation and.connected at their u e end e form ubstantially ri id w en ele t e he tjoi i the less subs ne i liy midway o the r h t, and grippin se hin d ot e ower e ds of the less w h reedom o swin ing movement betweenpositions adjacent the legs and inwardly pointed positions, he le s beinunconnected below the, belt and. xi le r independ nt ielding in resp nst re istan e en ered b t e contour of the bod 111 0 1 ii h h t is:lowered. and the elastic. belt serving to collectively urge the legsupon the e y n t e relative positions b o ut y the eeh our oi the body.

TIMOTI-IEO LAURO.

fe ences C ed in the fil i i paten UNITED STATES PATENTS Number NameDate :-.-.rr-.-r=:".-.-. .49145 Howard. et all Sept. 17, 193 1 98 ,062Ha pton. -,T---.--.- J ne '8, .1937

FQB'EIGN PATENTS Number Gouptry pate

